I love me some Pixar and Disney animated movies as well as the best from Universal and Illumination (the Despicable me series) but I was not going into this movie called “Small Foot” with much hope. It seemed like a cute idea but it didn’t seem like it could be enough for a feature length …
Continue reading small foot
The new song “SOON” by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol is a very emotional tribute to his father who’s been diagnosed with dementia. The music video shows the lead singer with his dad looking at old photographs along with many clips of home movies that really captures how precious our time is here on Earth and …
Continue reading SoonThere are many songs that capture the shock that parents feel when they realize that their little ones have grown up in the blink of an eye. This song by Michael W. Smith “How to Say Goodbye” does a wonderful job showing the relationship between a dad and his daughter from little girl to her …
Continue reading How to Say GoodbyeI really enjoy Japanese anime especially the excellent films made lately. Koe No Natachi (A Silent Voice) is an outstanding story about a bullied deaf girl and the impact of the bullying not only on her but also on the bully and all those around them as kids in school. It’s a moving story with …
Continue reading A Silent Voice
My 14 year-old son surprised me today by sending me this new song from Owl City called “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” and wished me an early Happy Father’s Day. It really touched me deeply. I like to think all three of my children fully understand how much I love and adore them so it’s …
Continue reading Not All Heroes Wear Capes
Here’s another heartbreaking tragedy caused by bullying as another sweet angel named Daniel Fitzpatrick Jr. committed suicide because he could not take the pain of being bullied anymore. He was only 13 and no one at school tried to help him which is the usual case. He left behind a note which explained all the …
Continue reading Danny Angel
Tim McGraw just won a country music award for his music video for “HUMBLE AND KIND” which was inspired by his daughter going away to college. It’s such a wonderful song and the video is beautiful with a wide range of diverse cultures represented. It made me think of the advice my wife and I …
Continue reading Cute Sweet and Smart (CSS)
Every once in awhile a special commercial or ad campaign appears that blows me away like this one from ARIEL, a laundry company from India. It raises an important point about household chores and how it’s not just supposed to be the woman’s job to do it all. It’s sparked a debate and conversation that questions …
Continue reading Share The Load
Here’s another heartbreaking story about bullying that pushed another sweet soul to suicide. Bullies are terrorists of the spirit when children are at their most vulnerable. Too many people decide to remain silent which sadly makes them an accomplice in the terrorism they inflict on innocent victims. This goes to fellow students who look away …
Continue reading Bullies are terrorists
Look, I grew up watching Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang. I still enjoy watching their holidays specials every year with my kids because of the nostalgia factor so I am sure that I will always love them. We are all super excited to watch the new Peanuts animated 3D motion picture that’s …
Continue reading The Days of Whine and Roses
I was a little doubtful that Pixar could pull off another incredible animated masterpiece going into the theater to see their latest release, “INSIDE OUT” but all of my doubts were erased within the first few minutes. I was smitten with this story immediately. It was all about the emotions of an 11 year-old girl …
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“Life Father, Like Son” is a powerfully moving film that truly makes you think about the true meaning of love and family. The premise is rather simple but so incredible in its delivery: Two families learn that their sons were accidentally switched at birth so they have to swap them with each other after several …
Continue reading Like Father Like Son
State Farm has nailed the male experience with its latest “NEVER” commercial. The dude tells his buds how he’s never ever going to get married then he’s in the jewelry store getting the rock… and well you know the rest!
Continue reading Never Say Never!Today was a painful Sunday afternoon. For no good reason I decided to finally convert an old videotape that my aunt sent me of my dad’s home movies. He abandoned us all when I was a toddler and passed away in the 1990s. Anyway, it was tough seeing him enjoying life with his second wife …
Continue reading Old Wounds and New BeginningsI was blown away by this Reader’s Digest piece called “FATHER FORGETS” by W. Livingston Larned which was printed a long time ago. It’s the type of thing that would go viral today had it come out now. The kind of thing that everyone shares in emails before the social interwebs came on the scene. …
Continue reading Father ForgetsThis might seem like a silly post but then again most of mine are, huh? Consider this a companion piece to one I did called “Slices of Life” where I shared the importance of taking common every day photos to preserve those memories we take for granted unlike the big moments that we preserve with …
Continue reading The Last DiaperWe dads love the whole concept of being super heroes for our families and being able to swoop in and save the day at a moment’s notice, but we all know that we are more Clark Kent than Superman. Still, we do our best to be strong and protective for the ones we love and …
Continue reading Super HeroesSome of us men aren’t that good when it comes to expressing how we feel through words but for some reason we find it easier to show how we feel through actions by doing things that mean a lot to the one we love. Some men are excellent when it comes to sweet talk but …
Continue reading Men of ActionI love this photo I took a couple years ago because it captured a particular moment in time in our family. You can see the distinctly different stages of our three kids: Baby formula and bottles, Sippy cups and big boy cups. I do my best to capture the big moments in our lives like …
Continue reading Slices of LifeHere are some motivational speeches from movies from fathers to their sons and in the last one from a coach (Al Pacino) to his players. The first one is from Sylvestor Stallone from Rocky Balboa. Rocky Balboa: “You ain’t gonna believe this, but you used to fit right here. I’d hold you up to say …
Continue reading Father and Son AdviceEveryone is creating lists this time of year. They are for favorite things of the year or best of all-time, etc. This list we are sharing today is for the best Christmas movies of all-time. We noticed one list today that excluded Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” which is insane! It is one of …
Continue reading Best Christmas MoviesI had the immense pleasure and honor of interviewing Greg Page, the original yellow Wiggle who has rejoined the band for a farewell tour that ends in December 2012. He along with two other original members, Murray Cook and Jeff Fatt will be retiring from the band after over 20 years. Greg Page took the …
Continue reading Wiggles Farewell TourWe’ve covered bullying many times here because it’s such an important issue. It’s incredible that bullying is still such a widespread problem in this day and age of instant communication. As a matter of fact, social media has actually increased the amount of bullying by giving the malicious bullies more tools to spew their venom …
Continue reading Mean GirlsOne of the best perks of being involved with Dad-O-Matic is getting to meet wonderful people like the members of the family band Laughing Pizza. We’ve covered them before on here when I shared their wonderful song called DADDY. Well, this time around I got to sit down with them before their show here in …
Continue reading Laughing PizzaOn this Father’s Day I’m remembering some of the good portrayals of dads on television which sadly is few and far between. One of the best ones that comes to mind is “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” starring the late Bill Bixby. I loved that show as a kid because I grew up without a …
Continue reading TV DadsBecause of this promotional video (commercial) that One Republic made for Disney and because my kids sang this over and over again all throughout our time in Disney World recently, this song “Good Life” will forever make me thing of that magical place. I really would love to live close to Disney World someday so …
Continue reading Good LifeThe shocking news of the suicide of pro football legend Junior Seau has opened up the discussion about the long-term impact of playing the violent sport of football. There have been many studies in recent years showing the severe effects of repetitive traumatic brain injuries, especially regarding concussions. These injuries often lead to what …
Continue reading Whose Dream Is It Anyway?Shaving is one of the best bonding experiences for dads and sons (ok and sometimes daughters much to the chagrin of moms). Whether they use real shaving cream or fake stuff, the kids love pretending to shave like their dad. I don’t know why it is but there’s something fun about this ritual. I highly …
Continue reading Razor Sharp Tips for DadsThis is an old piece that went around via emails way back when, long before the social web made things go viral easily. I was not a parent back then but I never forgot it and sure enough it was extremely poignant and totally true when I became a dad and then experienced having a …
Continue reading Loving TwoI truly recommend watching a movie called “MY DOG SKIP” which was based on a true story. It’s a wonderful coming of age movie featuring the cute little dog named Skip, of course. It’s full of funny little moments and captures the essence of youth, especially about the special relationship between the only child and …
Continue reading My Dog SkipEveryone gives love lip service but it’s action not just words. We men especially need to learn that it’s important for us to show our love with actions and not just our mouth. It’s what we do that counts the most. It isn’t the flowers or mushy greeting card or expensive gifts, but the every …
Continue reading Love is Action Not Just WordsDespite all of the attention that the subject matter of bullying has gotten recently, the pain and anguish continues. More and more victims are trying to get the word out such as this young man whose video on YouTube has become viral as he shares his torture silently by holding up cards describing his living …
Continue reading Silent Cries for HelpHere’s a beautiful song called “Just Fishin’” by Trace Adkins who’s become the unofficial music artist of Dads because we’ve featured several of his songs on here already. What can I say? Trace truly understands and appreciates the power of being a dad and a parent. His songs on this subject matter truly captures the …
Continue reading Just Fishin’Here’s a moving anti-bullying spot that contains very harsh language but that’s exactly the point…these are the words that become weapons against our beloved children. Sticks and stones can break bones but words can do far more longer lasting damage. We cannot let others get away with such horrible treatment of innocent souls. Kids, teens …
Continue reading EveryNoneMy blog posts on Dad-O-matic have sparked a running joke where some readers compare them to interviews by Barbara Walters because they both tend to make people cry. I take it as a compliment of course. I enjoy sharing some amazing songs with intensely emotional meaning such as my pieces for “You’re Gonna Miss This” …
Continue reading It Won’t Be Like This For Long“Dear Zachary” is an amazing documentary that everyone should experience. It’s a tough one to get through but it’s so worth it if you do. I won’t give away anything surprising but all I can say is that you will be moved and I think changed for the better after witnessing this masterful film. In …
Continue reading Dear ZacharyBelieve it or not, it’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11. We’ve honored those lost on that tragic day every year since 2001 and knew this milestone was coming but it still feels like it came too quickly. It feels like it all happened yesterday and yet it also feels like a lifetime ago because we …
Continue reading 10th Anniversary of 9/11Dad-O-matic is focused on dads and the family and once in a while that means addressing the subject matter of the relationship between fathers with mothers. After all, they are partners in the business of raising children, right? Too often we parents are so busy working on all of the details involved with taking care …
Continue reading Reminders of LoveI heard this absolutely beautiful song called “Daddy” at the end of Curious George by a group called LaughingPizza and I just had to find out more about it and hear it again and again. It truly got to me and I think it will for any parent. Such a sweet sentiment and such a …
Continue reading You’re The Best Daddy (Song)The Wiggles are celebrating their 20th anniversary which is an impressive milestone for any band nevermind one for children. They’re currently on a US tour celebrating this achievement. Much like last year when I got to interview Jeff (the purple Wiggle), I had the pleasure of speaking to Sam (Yellow Wiggle) this time around. Me: …
Continue reading One on One with a Wiggle: Sam MoranMy 8 year-old has been after me to watch Meet The Robinsons for the longest time so I finally made time to watch it with my kids and I sure am happy I did. I absolutely loved the movie. Now, I have to admit that I’m a sucker for most of the animated films these …
Continue reading Little WondersNBA star, Robert Horry, shared a touching open letter to his daughter Ashlyn who passed away on 6/14/2011 far too young at 17 due to a rare genetic disorder called 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. The NBA legend is famous for his late game heroics on the court but here he shares an even more incredible display …
Continue reading A Father’s Open Letter to His DaughterWe just lost our beautiful Papillon Chi Chi. He was a great dog and we will miss him terribly. My 8 year-old Matthew was closest to Chi Chi so he’s taking it the hardest. Seeing my son in such pain breaks my heart as much as the loss of our sweet dog. He’s too young …
Continue reading The Circle of LifeHere’s an excellent special from Chris Cuomo that aired on 20/20 recently about children diagnosed with Williams Syndrome which is a rare genetic disorder that affects one in 7,500 newborns. One of the tell-tale signs is an enormously friendly and outgoing personality. While this is sweet and wonderful in most situations, it can become very …
Continue reading Friendly to the Extreme?Here’s a hilarious music video called The Dad Life by Church on the move. It pretty much nails the experience. Dad Life lyrics Ha ha This is dad life It’s how we live 24/7, 365 Check me Gas station glasses Don’t care what the masses Think about me wit my sweet goatee I’m rockin’ my …
Continue reading The Dad LifeParents always have a special song or two for each of their babies. One of my favorites is John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” which still touches me deeply every time I hear it because I used to sing it to both of my sons at bedtime. Adding to the bittersweetness is the fact that John Lennon’s …
Continue reading Beautiful BoyI know we’re called Dad-O-Matic and our reason for being is to be a platform for dads by dads but our primary focus is actually on our children and our families. This news item sure brings home the message loud and clear. I doubt anyone can watch this and not be moved as I was. …
Continue reading Coming HomeThe kids from “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” reunited on the Today Show for the 40th anniversary of the film classic. Check out Charlie Bucket, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt & Mike TV as they look now all these years later. Noticeably absent is their ring leader, Gene Wilder and Grandpa Charlie who …
Continue reading 40th Anniversary Reunion for Willie Wonka and The Chocolate FactoryHere’s something new from Charity Water, a charity Dad-O-Matic endorses and supports. It’s called “Water Changes Everything” and it clearly shows the tremendous impact that clean water has on families all over the world. We all know the importance of clean water but too many of us don’t fully realize how tough it is for …
Continue reading Water Changes EverythingI took the family to Disney World for spring break 2011 and it was even better than expected. Maybe it was because the kids were a little older this time (ages 12, 8 & 5) or maybe it was merely experience paying off, but all I know is that we had the times of our …
Continue reading Free Apps for Your Next Trip to Disney WorldWhat a moving story this is. 9 year-old sister sacrifices everything to save her 5 year-old little sister by pushing her out of the way of a speeding truck and gets hit herself. She survived by suffered tremendous injuries such as a broken neck and lost a kidney and one of her legs. She is …
Continue reading Big Sister Saves Little Sister’s Life“You Can Let Go” is the debut song from Canadian country artist Crystal Shawanda which knocked me for a loop. I know that I’m a big ole sucker for these types of songs but I really was moved by this one. It tells the tale of a little girl and her dad as she grows …
Continue reading You Can Let Go Now, DaddyWe dads get so focussed on our jobs and careers that we sometimes lose sight of the things that mean the most in life. Yes, earning a good living is critical for providing for our families so we should all strive to do the best work we can do in order to ensure our livelihood. …
Continue reading It’s What I DoI stumbled upon this amazing video on YouTube by Spoonito who shared home movies that his dad took of him and his sister over the span of 25 years during Christmas time. The dad recorded his son and daughter coming down the stairs on Christmas morning to open their presents from 1985 to 2009. There …
Continue reading 25 Years of ChristmasHere’s an interesting new solution called Life360 whose slogan is “Your child’s safety comes first”. They offer several tools for protecting your family. The most compelling being the emergency alert system called Family GPS Tracking that instantly notifies other family members the moment you find yourself in trouble. You can get the app for iPhone …
Continue reading Life360 Offers a Mobile Panic Button for Your KidsOur own Chris Cuomo just did a very important special on 20/20 about bullying called “Bullied to Death in America’s Schools“. It was a powerful piece about the escalating number of tragedies caused by bullying. Far too many good kids are tortured by bullies and too many are taking their own lives. The special also …
Continue reading Chris Cuomo’s Special on BullyingThe topic of bullying has always been important to me. I’ve seen the pain and anguish caused by bullying my whole life. Fortunately for me, I grew tall early in life so I avoided the torture of being the victim of most bullies but I still witnessed too many friends get picked on for years. …
Continue reading Protecting Our Precious AngelsI was fortunate enough to interview Jeff Fatt, the purple Wiggle from the world famous Wiggles! They’re going to be coming to the USA for their Wiggly Circus tour this summer. Jeff took the time from his hectic schedule to give me a call. I tried to ask him questions that I’m sure many of …
Continue reading One on One with a Wiggle: Jeff FattHere’s another wonderfully touching song from Trace Adkins. Much like “All I Ask For Anymore“, and “Then They Do“, this one, “You’re Gonna Miss This“, is another tribute to families. This one is a reminder for us all to try to stop and appreciate these magical times–even when things seem like utter chaos and mayhem. …
Continue reading You’re Gonna Miss ThisHere’s a wonderful Trace Adkins song about a man who has changed his priorities in life. He shares all the things he used to pray for like cars and money but now understands that the only thing that truly matters is his family. All he ever asks for anymore is for the health and safety …
Continue reading All I Ask for AnymoreReadeo has unveiled something they called BookChat that uses webcams to allow people to read books via the web in real-time. The idea will not be received well by some folks who will complain that the best part of the reading experience is being together. However, this solution is not positioning itself as a replacement …
Continue reading Readeo Introduces BookChatA tragic accident in a High School baseball game that sent a pitcher into a coma after being hit in the head from a batted ball has created quite a stir against the use of aluminum bats. The school and its opponent have agreed to use wooden bats in their next game. The use of …
Continue reading Good WoodHere’s a news item about a tragedy that has a silver lining thanks to the University of Clemson and its football coach Dabo Swinney. High School football star Jake Nicolopulos had a dream to play college football for the Clemson Tigers and it was all set to become a reality until he had a stroke …
Continue reading Class ActHere’s an excerpt from Katrina Kenison’s wonderful book “The Gift of an Ordinary Day” that totally captures the beauty and power of being a parent, for both moms and dads. I loved what she shared here because it’s something that I realized a long time ago. It isn’t really all the big important events in …
Continue reading The Gift of an Ordinary DayHere’s an amazing project from Pepsi called the PEPSI REFRESH PROJECT where they will spend millions of dollars to fund ideas that we submit that have a positive impact on the world and planet. It’s such a wonderful concept and makes a great deal of sense because not only can we submit our ideas but …
Continue reading Refresh ProjectWe men took more than our usual bashing during the 60 or so commercials played during SuperBowl Sunday. We deserved some of the mocking but come on already, Madison Avenue. It’s time to give us men a little more credit, don’t you think? Still, I enjoyed the funny ones as much as the next guy. …
Continue reading Favorite SuperBowl AdsCongratulations go out to the New Orleans Saints for beating the Indianapolis Colts tonight in the SuperBowl 31-17 behind the MVP arm of Drew Brees. I was happy to see them win mostly because of everything the people of New Orleans went through a few years ago with Hurricane Katrina. It’s such an amazing story. …
Continue reading WhoDadHere’s just a quick comedy break… hilarious stuff
Continue reading E*Trade Baby OuttakesI just watched this 88-second spot and it really got thru to me loud and clear. Thanks to Zane Aveton (aka @zaneology on Twitter) for sharing this tonight. I hope it impacts all of you the same way it has for me. What a powerful reminder. Find more videos like this on AdGabber
Continue reading Family TiesLemonade is a documentary short that delivers a powerful message. It focuses on several advertising professionals and how they dealt with the shocking impact of being laid off. Many of them looked at this sometimes devastating blow as a wake up call and chose to go for their dreams and do what they’ve always wanted …
Continue reading When Life Gives You LemonsMy favorite show on TV these days is without question MAD MEN which has won best drama Emmy for its first two seasons. I love the era they cover, the early 1960s and the look back at American families from that period of time. The thing that comes to mind right away is just how …
Continue reading Dad MenWe dads know that we’re teaching our children by what we do, not just by what we say. This video brings home that message loud and clear. Even if our children aren’t around, we should try to stay true to our code of conduct and behave in a way that would make them proud. Remember …
Continue reading Leading by ExampleHere’s a list of the most popular posts for 2009. Ironically, even though we’re the number one Daddy Blog with over 80 fathers writing for us, our top two posts were from women! This only proves that our new feature called The Better Half has been a total success. It gives the women in our …
Continue reading Most Popular Posts of 2009 on Dad-O-MaticThe movie City Slickers (1991) was a successful comedy starring Billy Crystal but what I loved most about the movie is its many tender moments like the clips I’m sharing here. There are some great life lessons here such as the one thing lesson from Jack Palance or the Best/Worst day stories from Billy and …
Continue reading Life Lessons from City SlickersCraig Valentine gives an inspirational 7-minute speech here that I just stumbled across. I have to say that I really liked what he had to say when it comes to going for your dream in life. He shares a great story about a monumental decision he had to make in his career between money and …
Continue reading Your Dream is NOT for SalePhil Vassar’s wonderful song “Just Another Day in Paradise” captures the feeling most of us dads have but more than likely never express so eloquently. Its message is so pure and so simple, yet so profound. Even when things appear messy and chaotic and things don’t go the way we planned them (they rarely do), …
Continue reading Just Another Day in ParadiseThis is funny stuff. Andy Andrews shares 50 things that his dad said to him as a kid in blazing speed! It reminds me of the amazing Mom Song that we featured on here before. Here they are: You’d better change your tune pretty quick or you’re out of here. I mean it. Is that …
Continue reading Andy Andrews Says 50 Things Dads Say in 60 Seconds!We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and the whole family settled down to watch The Hannah Montana movie. While I’ll admit that I think her show is actually funny and entertaining, I have to say that I was not thrilled with this movie selection. So I tried to make the best of it by making my …
Continue reading Caterpillars and ButterfliesJust like a proud papa, we are over-joyed to announce a new member to the Dad-O-Matic family! Please welcome the one and only, Gary Vaynerchuk from WineLibrary TV! He’s not only a successful business owner in the wine industry and wildly popular in the social media arena, but he’s also a successful author of a …
Continue reading New Addition to the Dad-O-Matic Family: Gary Vaynerchuk!KidsEatFree offers an extremely useful service that tracks all of the places where kids eat free (hence the name). Parents just enter their zipcode and a list of all those establishments will be generated in seconds. The good news is that you can actually access this service via your mobile device thanks to their new …
Continue reading New Mobile App Helps Parents Track Where KidsEatFree!Thanks to the pandemic spread of Swine Flu, we’re dealing with an especially scary flu season at home and at work. While we’re all familiar with the basics of how to reduce our risks of exposure to germs that lead to getting sick, there are still plenty of things we can do to help make …
Continue reading How to Protect Yourself from Germs at Home and at WorkSunday was National GrandParents Day. It was started in 1978 so this little known holiday has been around for over 30 years. Even though we’re called Dad-O-Matic and focus primarily on dad stuff but we all understand and appreciate the priceless contributions that grandparents make to our families. We also know that, God willing, we …
Continue reading National GrandParents Day!As parents, one of our jobs is to prepare our children for the future so we do our best to teach them how to be self-reliant and independent. Unfortunately, we sometimes get so focused on that one particular mission so much that we tend to lose sight of the fact that they are just kids. …
Continue reading Let Them Be LittleI spoke to Chris Cuomo from ABC’s Good Morning America recently on behalf of Dad-O-matic. We talked about the Liam McCarty case. He’s the boy that was illegally taken by his mother to Italy, where he is supposedly living in an orphanage as a ward of the state, after his mother, Manuela Antonelli, was ruled …
Continue reading A Father’s Desperate Search for His SonWe are proud to announce a new member of the Dad-O-matic team, none other than Good Morning, America’s anchorman, Chris Cuomo! I first ran across Chris on twitter after some very strong recommendations to do so from my wife who said he was a very devoted dad like our guys on here. So I checked …
Continue reading Please Welcome New Addition to the Dad-O-matic Family: Chris CuomoCiao! I’m just testing the WordPress app for the iPhone to see how it publishes blog posts from here. I’m also going to attach a photo taken from my iPhone.
Continue reading Mobile blogging ageAll of us dads at Dad-O-matic (over 80 strong and growing!) want to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day! Obviously, this is an important day for us because we strive to be the ultimate voice for dads and their families. This day always makes me think of my dad who passed away rather young while …
Continue reading The Living YearsThe good folks at Griffin Technology have partnered with Dad-o-matic for a special Father’s Day series of giveaways featuring some of their best products. For the next four weeks, starting on May 24, 2009, someone will win a Griffin Prize Package that includes all of these cool prizes. Simplifi Powerjolt SE SmartShare USB AirCurve NuForm …
Continue reading Father's Day Giveaway from GriffinZiggy Marley‘s new “FAMILY TIME” CD hits stores on May 5th! In honor of his first album featuring songs for children and the family, we are announcing an exciting little contest with several prizes. All you have to do is: 1. Subscribe to Dad-O-Matic 2. Share this post on Twitter 3. Leave your contact info …
Continue reading New Ziggy Marley CD Give-AwayEven though I’m sure Martina McBride’s wonderful “In My Daughter’s Eyes” is really meant to be a song for moms and daughters, I think dads can totally appreciate the beautiful sentiment behind it. I know I sure do. I love this song and totally understand what it’s all about. It can just as easily be …
Continue reading My Daughter’s EyesSteven Curtis Chapman’s “Cinderella” is a strong contender for record of the year at this year’s Dove Awards on 4/23/2009 which is the Christian world’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards. It’s a poignant and extremely touching reminder for all us dads on how quickly our precious little cinderellas grow up. In the blink of an …
Continue reading CinderellaI still get chills when I hear the theme from Finding Nemo (2003). Thomas Newman always does that to me with his scores but this one touches me deeply as a dad. I think it’s because it reminds me of the opening scene when the father discovers his Nemo as the lone surviving fish egg …
Continue reading Lessons Learned from Finding NemoI had a blast tonight showing my two sons some of the old toys and games me and my brothers played with when we were kids. They included G.I. Joe, Matt Mason astronauts and The Thing Maker which let you create creepy crawlers, bugs and other fun things. I was startled when my oldest asked, …
Continue reading Boys and their ToysRick Springfield is best known for hits like “Jesse’s Girl” but one of my favorite songs that he did was his tribute to his dad called “My Father’s Chair”. It’s such a personal song about the painful impact the family experienced when Rick’s father passed away just as Rick was about to explode with massive …
Continue reading My Father’s ChairThe alternate title for this piece could have been, “Be Careful What You Wish For” because it’s all about how we shouldn’t ever look forward to a future when we’ll have time for ourselves again once the kids grow up and leave the nest. If we do that we’ll learn the harsh and painful truth …
Continue reading Then They DoThanks to everyone that entered the first Dad-o-matic giveaway which featured Flowers from ProFlowers. All of the entries were dropped into a hat and the following five names were pulled out randomly. The winners will need to contact me before midnight Tuesday night to claim their prize ( Pa*****@Da*******.com ). In the event that a …
Continue reading Winners of the ProFlowers Giveaway!The following post is a sponsored post, brought to you by ProFlowers. The opinions are my own. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, ProFlowers has given Dad-o-matic five $70 gift codes for our readers. We could have setup some elaborate contest for you to qualify to win one of these gifts but decided to make …
Continue reading Sponsored Post: $70 Flower Gift Certificate GiveawayThe Bush twins wrote a beautiful letter for the Obama girls filled with wonderful advice on how to make the most of their childhood in the Whitehouse and most of all to always remember who their dad really is. Right now everything is incredibly positive and everyone loves their daddy but there will be rough …
Continue reading Still Just a DadNow why would Dad-o-matic cover something called the Mom Song? Well, first, because it’s a hilarious and spot-on look at the work that our better half does on a daily basis. Of course, many fathers are Mr. Moms so they can really relate to this song too. I think it’s also applicable to the job …
Continue reading The Mom Song VideoRodney Atkins’ “I’ve Been Watching You” is one of my favorite songs for many reasons. One of them is because my six year-old loves singing it at the top of his lungs while watching the video with me. The other reason is because it’s a wonderful song for parents because it brings home the message …
Continue reading Monkey See, Monkey Do“Wide Open Spaces” by the Dixie Chicks is a good companion piece to my previous post called “Toys in the Attic” which covered the pain of realizing your child has outgrown playing with their beloved toys. In this song, the parents have to come to grips with the sobering reality that their little girl is …
Continue reading Wide Open SpacesThe scene in Toy Story 2 when Jessie tells Woody her story about the girl that owned her is a heartbreaking one for me every time I see it. I think it stings more with time as my three children continue to grow up and abandon their once beloved toys one by one. It’s such …
Continue reading Toys in the AtticThe dads from Dad-o-Matic want to wish everyone and their loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving! With all the tough times going on right now, we should all be extra thankful for all the blessings in our lives. Let’s also do what we can to help others this time of year as well as throughout the …
Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving from Dad-o-MaticAs parents, we’re always looking for ways to save a buck when it comes to eating out with the family. This has become especially important these days because of the current state of the economy. The more kids you have, obviously the more that restaurant bill will be. That’s why it’s critical to know which …
Continue reading Find Free Places to Eat for Your Kids with KidsMealDealsThe 49 UP documentary series is an incredible experience that every parent should make time for. It began in 1964 and has grown to become a collection of seven documentaries that has followed the lives of 14 British children every seven years from the age of seven to 49 in the most recent release. The …
Continue reading The Dreams of YouthMark Schultz wrote “He’s My Son” while he was a youth minister for a boy he knew that was diagnosed with leukemia. No matter what your religious background might be, I’m sure you will be moved by this song and the emotions of the parents that Mark so eloquently captures. The song has become an …
Continue reading He’s My SonWarning: Some of the content in the following commercials will be disturbing to some of you. They are graphic in nature on purpose as they are trying to share their message about the dangers of driving too fast, driving drunk or driving without wearing your seatbelts. Mostly, these spots are focussed on young teen drivers …
Continue reading Teens and DrivingEvery dad knows this song, Harry Chapin’s classic “Cat’s in the Cradle”. It was a number one hit in 1974 and originally written as a poem by Harry’s wife Sandie who received credit as co-writer of the song. Incidentally, she didn’t write it about Harry’s relationship with their son as commonly believed but actually about …
Continue reading The Cat’s in the Cradle“Father of Mine” by EverClear is an extra special song for me because it truly hits home for me on a deep personal level. I relate to the words so much because my father left our mom with four sons in a strange new land when I was a toddler and I never really got …
Continue reading The Sins of Our FathersOne thing I’ve learned through experience is that raising a child makes you a father, not simply the act of procreation. Far too many men can do the latter but a precious few ever even try to be the former. I respect and admire anyone that accepts the sacrifice and challenge of raising a child …
Continue reading He Didn’t Have to BeI’ve always loved this piece called “Loving Two” by an unknown author. I was moved when I first read it many years ago long before I became a dad and it touches me even more today. I understand it so much more now. It’s such a profound and emotional experience to be blessed with one …
Continue reading Limitless LoveI’ve been a dad for almost a decade and proud to have been blessed with three angelic babies in that span. I still get choked up when I read this piece that I’m about to share with you. The message and meaning becomes deeper and more profound as the years go by, especially if you …
Continue reading Parenthood Will Change Your LifeGreat news today for parents and their children that enjoy playing online. Parents.com and KidZui.com have formed a partnership to enhance the KidZui experience and bring more families to the kid-friendly site. For those of you that aren’t familiar with KidZui yet, it’s geared for kids ages 3-12 and provides a free browser and online …
Continue reading Parents.com and Kidzui Form Healthy Alliance for Parents and KidsShe’s Having a Baby is another one of those underrated comedies that touches you in ways that you never forget. John Hughes broke free from his high school brat pack mold (Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, etc.) and totally captures the amazing experiences of marriage and parenthood in this wonderful movie. It includes …
Continue reading This Woman’s Work (She’s Having a Baby)The song “Father & Son” by Cat Stevens has become increasingly poignant and powerfully meaningful to me as I raise my three children. They continue to grow up faster than I want them to but what can you do about it? All I can do is try to be the best example I can be …
Continue reading Father and SonBullies have been a part of childhood for centuries, but their reigns of terror are swiftly becoming short-lived these days thanks to all of the bully awareness and Anti-Bully prevention programs that exist today. Obviously, it’s impossible to totally prevent bullying but we can always improve how and when we intervene whenever it does take …
Continue reading The Bully Pulpit“When should I start teaching my son (or daughter) about computers?” This is a common question I get from new parents. There’s no hard and fast answer or correct age. I always tell them to just provide access to an older computer as early as possible, even if they just pound the keys like a …
Continue reading How Soon Can Your Child Start Using Computers?